Inside the Hunt dynasty: From oil fortunes to NFL ownership

The Hunt family, worth an estimated $25.6 billion, controls the Kansas City Chiefs and a range of other businesses rooted in H.L. Hunt’s oil empire.

H.L. Hunt built a fortune in oil and diversified it into publishing, cosmetics and pecan farming, leaving a trust that funded fifteen heirs. The surviving eldest son, Ray Lee Hunt, heads Hunt Consolidated and is valued at $6.6 billion.

Lamar Hunt, a son of H.L., founded the American Football League and the Dallas Texans, later the Kansas City Chiefs, and coined the term "Super Bowl." After Lamar’s death, his wife Norma and their four children inherited the franchise; Clark Hunt now leads the Chiefs and FC Dallas as chairman and CEO. The family also controls the MLS club FC Dallas, a minority share of the Chicago Bulls, and a $3 billion real-estate development arm, Hunt Midwest.

Younger relatives like Gracie Hunt have pursued pageantry, public-relations work for the Chiefs, and charitable projects, while the family’s public statements have recently aligned with controversial remarks from kicker Harrison Butker. Their story illustrates how a 20th-century oil empire evolved into a modern sports and business conglomerate.